Sen. McAdams Meets with Students

Yesterday Senator Ben McAdams met with a group of students from Wasatch Junior High School at the Capitol.  Numerous school groups visit the Capitol during the session to see our beautiful renovated Capitol, to watch the Legislature in action, and to visit with legislators.

Girl Scout Award for Senator Jones

Today was Girl Scout Cookie Day on the Hill.  Senator Gene Davis introduced the Girl Scouts visiting the Senate Chamber.  The group presented each senator with a box of Girl Scout Cookies.  If senators had a cookie preference, the girls quickly accommodated their requests.

Senator Davis also announced that Senator Pat Jones will be honored by the Girl Scouts next month.  In recognition of Senator Jones’ outstanding service and leadership, she will be honored with the 2010 Girl Scouts of Utah Distinguished Alumnae Award.  The award will be presented to Senator Jones at the Girl Scouts’ International Women’s Day Celebration March 4, 2010, at the Jewish Community Center.

Senator Jones has made incredible contributions to her community through her professional and volunteer endeavors and exhibits the Girl Scout Promise and Law in her daily life.  She is honest and fair, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and makes the world a better place.

Senator Karen Morgan and Senator Karen Mayne are former Girl Scouts, too.  Senator Karen Morgan is a previous recipient of the Girl Scouts of Utah Distinguished Alumnae Award.

Several of our visiting Girl Scouts were from Cottonwood Heights (Senator Morgan’s senate district) and one was from Kearns (Senator Karen Mayne’s senate district).

Congratulations, Senator Jones.

Senators Mayne and Morgan with Girl Scouts

Senator Davis with Girl Scouts

Many Achievements for Cottonwood Heights City

by Senator Karen Morgan
Senate District 8

This morning, the Utah State Senate presented Cottonwood Heights City, which is in my Senate District, with a citation recognizing its many #1 achievements.

In August of last year, the Cottonwood Heights City Emergency Preparedness Team was awarded FEMA’s top award for “Collaborative Preparedness Planning” at the 2009 National Conference on Community Preparedness held in Washington, D.C.  It was selected for its exemplary model of developing and implementing a citywide emergency preparedness plan.  When completed, the system will be prepared to communicate with residents of every street and home in the City.

Cottonwood Heights has also received many other awards in just five years of being established as an official city.

They’ve received Best of State Awards by the Best of State Committee in 2006, 2008, and 2009.  In 2006 they received the Best of State in Community Development.  In 2008 they received the Best in State for the best-elected official, Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore Jr. And in 2009 they received Best in State for the best-appointed Official, Treasurer Gary Harmer.

In 2007 Money Magazine rated them in the Top 100 cities of America.

In 2007, 2008, and 2009 Cottonwood Heights received the Distinguished Budget Award by the Government Finance Officers Association.

And the Cottonwood Heights Police Department received special recognition for their exceptional work against drunk driving. Before the Cottonwood Heights Police Department was established, only around 20 DUI arrests were made per year. Last year, the police made 256 DUI arrests.

Senator Karen Morgan awards Senate Citation to
Cottonwood Heights City Officials

 
(left to right)
Robby Russo, Chief of Police
Gordon Thomas, Councilman on Emergency Preparedness
Senator Karen Morgan
Kelvyn Cullimore, Mayor
Lianne Stillman, City Manager

No such thing as a safe tan? Utah Leads the Way

Health concerns related to the use of tanning beds is once again in the forefront.   Numerous studies indicate that using tanning beds by youth increases their risk of developing melanoma by 75 percent.  Melanoma is one of the most deadly forms of cancer.  Approximately 69,000 cases were diagnosed last year alone.  Beyond melanoma, ultraviolet ray exposure is also linked to basal and squamous cell carcinomas which, according to the American Cancer Society, result in 2,000 deaths a year.

Now the Food and Drug Administration is considering stricter regulations for the use of tanning beds.  The FDA may require more precise warnings about the dangers.  As reported recently by the Deseret News editorial board, “the growing scientific consensus is there’s no such thing as a safe tan.”  The FDA will conduct a public hearing this coming March.

Cognizant of these risks, in 2007, Senator Patricia Jones sponsored and passed SB 52, Health Regulations for Public Indoor Tanning Beds.  Utah law now requires IN PERSON parental consent once a year for minors to use commercial tanning beds.  Parents are required to read warnings about the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays from tanning beds and sign for the number of tanning sessions their children can receive.

The health risks and associated costs down the road are avoidable.  Hopefully, the protection provided by Utah law and the prospective FDA regulations will affect the choices of our youth.  They may wisely opt for shade during the day and a spray-on tan for the prom.

Welcome, Big Brothers Big Sisters

Yesterday on the Senate Floor, Senator Ross Romero recognized members of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah in the gallery.  Senator Romero commended them for their significant contribution to mentoring in our communities.  Senator Romero is an active supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah.  The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters is “to help children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships with measurable impact.”  Big Brothers Big Sisters serves children ages 6-18.

“Bigs” (the adults) and “Littles” (the kids) meet once a week in schools, libraries, and community centers to talk and participate in fun activities.  Research has shown these positive relationships to be helpful in many ways.  Participating “Littles” are more confident in their schoolwork performance and get along better with their families.  They are also less likely to begin using illegal drugs, less likely to begin using alcohol, and less likely to skip school.

Senator Romero answered questions while the group ate lunch in the Multi-purpose Room of the Capitol. One of the “Littles” asked Senator Romero why he decided to become a state senator.  He responded to the question by saying, “Well, I have always been involved in serving my community, so becoming a state senator seemed like a great opportunity to further serve my community.”

Answering Questions

 
Lunch Time

Reading Achievement Requirements

Senator Karen Morgan is sponsoring Senate Bill 150, “Reading Requirements for Student Advancement.”  She presented her bill this morning in the Senate Education Committee where it passed unanimously.  Startling statistics emphasize the need for a minimum standard for reading achievement in the early elementary grades.  Twenty percent of students cannot read at grade level by the end of third grade.  More than 15% of students drop out of school between the 9th and 12th grades.

Morgan’s bill requires students in first, second and third grades to read at or above grade level prior to advancing to the next grade, with certain exceptions.  She stated, “Children learn to read in first, second and third grades.  After third grade, they read to learn.  A child must have basic reading skills in order to be successful as they move into the upper grades, and this bill will help to ensure that each child receives the help necessary to develop this vital skill.”

SB 150 requires schools to provide information to parents at the beginning of the school regarding this standard for grade advancement, to notify a student and the student’s parent or guardian before the middle of the school year if there is any possibility the student may not qualify for promotion, and to provide focused remediation to provide the help the student needs to achieve grade level.

SB 150 includes exceptions for students with disabilities and also allows a principal to provide an exemption and advance a student if the principal deems it to be in the best interest of the student.  A child has until August 15th to meet the standard and qualify for advancement to the next grade.

Helping Keep our Youth Safe

by Senator Ross Romero
Senate Minority Whip

There is an ongoing debate about restricting cell phone use while driving and efforts in the past for a total ban.  This year in the Judiciary, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Interim Committee, we have heard testimony from young drivers who support a complete ban because their friends were injured or killed in accidents involving cell phone use.

Based upon this testimony, I decided to sponsor Senate Bill 113, Wireless Telephone Use Restriction for Minors in Vehicles, which restricts cell phone use by persons younger than 18 years of age.  This bill highlights the need for young drivers to acquire experience behind the wheel before introducing distractions to the mix.

The bill provides for an infraction if a person under 18 uses a cell phone while driving.  If a person violates the law and is involved in a motor vehicle accident, the penalty is a class C misdemeanor.  Thirteen states have passed the same provision restricting young drivers.

Below are statistics for Utah Teenage Distracted Driving Crashes for 2006 (new information for 2007 will be available shortly).  Source: University of Utah Applied Cognition Lab

In crashes where cell phone and other electronic devices were the distraction:

1 person was killed
3 people had incapacitating injuries
27 people had non-incapacitating injuries
48 people had possible injuries
42 people had ER visits and 2 people had hospital visits
$240,000 was charged by the ER or hospital

It bothers me when I read the obituaries and see young people dying of suicide, accidents, etc.  I chose age 18 as the cutoff because at that age, most young people have completed high school, are more experienced behind the wheel, and have demonstrated a higher level of maturity.

While I know some are for a complete cell phone ban while driving, this bill is meant to safeguard the younger drivers in our community.

Finally, Representative Phil Riesen is carrying this bill in the Utah House of Representatives.

Utah’s School Children Deserve Better

by Senator Brent Goodfellow
Senate District 12

School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration’s bonuses are an outrage to the legislators and the people of Utah.  Last year in the Legislative session, a prohibition was placed on bonuses for the 2010 fiscal year.   This did not deny the top executives at SITLA the pleasure of huge bonus payouts to themselves.  On June 30, 2009 (the last day of the budget year), the top two SITLA executives received payments totaling $114,660.   In fact, for the total $428,000 in bonuses paid out to employees in fiscal year 2009, $294,000 was paid to the top six executives. These bonuses were simply a double payout in order for the Administration to get around the prohibition set by the Legislature for this fiscal year.  SITLA defends the bonuses claiming that their goals were met so the bonuses were earned, but they fail to mention that they lowered the target goal by 25%.  This is a topic that needs to be addressed and not tolerated by the people of our state.